1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antennas and to antenna/radome combinations for receiving and transmitting Radio Frequency (RF) signals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a small RF microstrip antenna and an antenna/radome having a relatively low or thin height profile, and to a radome that is forms an integral support element of the antenna. While not necessarily limited thereto, the present invention is particularly useful for the exchange of high frequency RF signals at relatively low power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several varieties of Radio Frequency (RF) antennas have evolved in the past. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,453 by Lalezari describes a parallel plate, inverted, microstrip type of antenna using air as a dielectric, and intended to operate in the 10 to 40 GigaHertz range. A relatively large dielectric plate (i.e., 1.times.1 to 2.times.2 inch square plates, or one to two inch diameter circular plates) operates to physically support a smaller metallic radiator patch that is centrally located over a metallic ground plane member, the ground plane member being about the same size as the dielectric plate. A number of support posts of substantially the same height operate to maintain a uniform 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm spacing, between the dielectric plate and the ground plane member.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,366 to Sanford describes a raised patch antenna structure for the circular polarized transmission and reception of signals, wherein a raised patch antenna element is provided at the top surface of a hollow cube-shaped housing. The flat bottom surface of the cube comprises a feed base portion having phasing means and power dividing means for the four walls of the cube. Each cube wall contains a feed-leg line, whereby the two pairs of opposite sides of the raised patch antenna element are feed with balanced signals of equal amplitude that are 180-degrees out of phase. Each of the four feed-legs includes an impedance matching means.
Additional examples of microstrip antennas include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,938,161 to Sanford and 5.210,542 to Pett et al.
Additional examples of microstrip antennas include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,938,161 to Sanford and 5,210,542 to Pett et al.
In the prior art, a radome has been provided to cover an antenna device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,142 to Marshall et al is an example.
While prior antennas/radomes, as above exemplified, are generally satisfactory for their limited intended purposes, the need remains in the art for a small, low profile, microstrip antenna, and for such an antenna/radome combination device, that is aesthetically pleasing to the human eye, whose physical shape generally disappears to human view when the antenna is mounted in a use environment, and which antenna is of a minimum part construction and arrangement that provides exceptional radiation/reception performance improvements.